City | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane was engaged in a weather survey mission over the Baltic sea and was carrying two passengers and a crew of six. While returning to his base at Kaliningrad-Khrabrovo Airport, the crew failed to set the altimeter properly, causing the aircraft to approach the land at an insufficient altitude. In low clouds, the pilot-in-command did not realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck trees, lost height and crashed in flames 200 meters further onto a school. The airplane was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire as well as the school building. All eight occupants on board the aircraft were killed as well as 27 people on the ground, 23 children and three adults. Two other children were seriously injured.

Probable cause:

Wrong altimeter setting caused the aircraft to fly at an insufficient altitude. Lack of visibility due to low clouds and poor ATC assistance was considered as contributing factors.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R near Poltava: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1972

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-25604

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Spraying (Agricultural)

Survivors:

Site:

City

MSN:

1G61-30

YOM:

1965

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During crop-spraying operations in the Poltava region, the intoxicated pilot performed unauthorized manoeuvres at low height over a village when he lost control of the aircraft that collided with a building and was completely destroyed. The pilot and the sole passenger (an aircraft mechanic) were killed.

Probable cause:

Intoxicated pilot.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-80-BO Stratofortress at McCoy AFB: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1972 at 1120 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Operator:

Registration:

56-0625

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

McCoy - McCoy

MSN:

17308

YOM:

1956

Flight number:

SIR 21

Location:

McCoy AFB

Florida

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training flight at McCoy AFB, Orlando, Florida. En route, a fire erupted on engine n°7 and the captain decided to return to McCoy AFB for an emergency landing. On final approach to runway 18R, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames onto several houses located one mile north of the airfield. The aircraft and four houses were totally destroyed and all seven crew members were killed. On ground, eight people were seriously injured, among them seven children. Three days after the accident, Anthony Ellington aged 10 died from his injuries.
Crew:
Cpt Wendell W. Campbell, pilot,
Cpt Barry E. Applebee, copilot,
1st Lt Robert Heatherly, navigator,
Lt Col George P. Gamache, navigator,
Maj James J. Hammons,
Maj William E. Kesler,
M/Sgt Allen H. Murray.

Probable cause:

Engine failure and fire for unknown reason.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 in Vorochilovgrad: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1972 at 0815 LT

Type of aircraft:

PZL-Mielec AN-2

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-42621

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

City

MSN:

1G40-22

YOM:

1963

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

9044

Aircraft flight cycles:

9242

Circumstances:

Parked at Voroshilovgrad Airport, the single engine aircraft was stolen by a pilot who decided to commit suicide due to marital problems. He took off alone and directed his aircraft into a 4-floor building where he was living (house # 10 in the 27th district of Voroshilovgrad). The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and the pilot was killed. The building was partially destroyed as well but no one was injured.

Probable cause:

Pilot suicide.

Crash of a Fairchild-Hiller FH-227B in Albany: 17 killed

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1972 at 2048 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild-Hiller FH-227

Operator:

Registration:

N7818M

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

City

Schedule:

New York-LaGuardia - Albany

MSN:

541

YOM:

1967

Flight number:

MO405

Location:

Albany

New York

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

12248

Captain / Total hours on type:

2202.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

9969

Copilot / Total hours on type:

2723

Aircraft flight hours:

10068

Aircraft flight cycles:

15714

Circumstances:

On final approach to Albany by night and marginal weather conditions, the crew encountered technical problems with the left engine propeller cruise lock system. The propeller could not be feathered and the airplane lost height and eventually crashed onto two houses located 3,8 miles short of runway 01 threshold. Two crew members and 14 passengers as well as one people on the ground were killed. The aircraft and two houses were destroyed.

Probable cause:

The inability of the crew to feather the left propeller, in combination with the descent of the aircraft below the prescribed minimum altitudes for the approach. The Board is unable to determine why the left propeller could not be feathered. Contributing causal factors for the nonstandard approach were the captain's preoccupation with a cruise pitch lock malfunction, the first officer's failure to adhere to company altitude awareness procedures, and the captain's failure to delegate any meaningful responsibilities to the copilot which resulted in a lack of effective task sharing during the emergency. Also, the Board was unable to determine why the propeller pitch lock malfunctioned during the descent.

Final Report:

Crash of a Dornier DO.28B-1 in Wau: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1971

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.28A/B

Operator:

Government of Sudan

Registration:

ST-ADN

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

3105

Location:

Wau

Western Bahr el Ghazal (غرب بحر الغزال)

Country:

South Sudan

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Wau Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine airplane stalled and crashed into a popular area by the airport. All seven occupants on board the aircraft were injured while eight people on the ground were killed.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor in Medellín: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1971 at 0950 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor

Operator:

Registration:

HK-1196

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Chigorodó – Medellín

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Medellín-Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport, one of the engine caught fire and exploded. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in the suburb of Santa Ana, in Bello, some 11 km short of runway 20. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Probable cause:

Engine fire on approach.

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680E in Nice: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1971

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Grand Commander 680

Operator:

Registration:

F-BFRB

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

City

MSN:

680-631-2

YOM:

1958

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances on a fuel depot located in the suburb of Nice. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Canadair CL-44J in Dhaka: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1970 at 1600 LT

Type of aircraft:

Canadair CL-44

Operator:

Registration:

TF-LLG

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Hamburg – Tehran - Dhaka

MSN:

YOM:

1964

Location:

Dhaka

Country:

Bangladesh

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was completing a humanitarian flight from Hamburg to Dhaka with an intermediate stop in Tehran, carrying a crew of four and 27,5 tons of foods on behalf of the International Red Cross Comity. On final approach to Dhaka-Tejgaon Airport, the airplane went out of control and crashed onto several houses located in a district 10 km northwest of the airport. All four crew members were killed as well as four people on the ground.

Probable cause:

It appeared that the hydraulic gust lock system activated in flight, causing the controls to lock. It is believed the rudder was blocked in neutral position and the ailerons in a upper position. Also, it is believed that hydraulic back pressure had built up because of a malfunctioning switch valve when hydraulics where armed on descent. The aircraft already suffered a major hydraulic contamination during a previous flight in the Azores Islands. On takeoff, both hydraulic pumps failed, causing a total hydraulic loss and forcing the crew to fly gear down to Madrid.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 8 in Wolverhampton: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 9, 1970 at 1002 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DH.104 Dove

Operator:

Registration:

G-AVHV

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Luton - Wolverhampton

MSN:

04542

YOM:

1967

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

8000

Captain / Total hours on type:

40.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

230

Aircraft flight hours:

1098

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a positioning flight from Luton to Wolverhampton to carry two members of the Dowty Group (owner of the aircraft) who wanted to fly to France. A first attempt to land was abandoned due to poor weather conditions and the crew climbed to 2,500 feet before initiating a second attempt to land that was also abandoned. During the third attempt, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck the roof of a house and crashed in flames 600 yards short of runway 25 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed as well as the house and both crew members were killed plus one people in the house. Two other person on the ground were injured.

Probable cause:

The accident resulted from a stall at a height from which recovery was not possible. The precise reason for this has not been established.

Final Report:

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